Beauvau Covered Market—Aligre Market, the 12th arrondissement’s hall and its convivial flea market

Between Bastille, Ledru-Rollin and Gare de Lyon, the Beauvau Market (also known as the Aligre Market) is one of those places where Paris still savors a bit of bargaining, fresh produce, and chance encounters. Nestled on Place d’Aligre in the 12th arrondissement, it brings together two complementary faces: the covered market beneath the grand hall and the open-air market that spills onto the square with its produce sellers, market cries, and its brocante.

To grasp the character of this market—one of Paris’s oldest—the story goes back to the 18th century. The neighborhood grew up around Faubourg Saint-Antoine, long associated with artisans, cabinetmakers, workers and small shops. The market Beauvau fits into this popular history, with a hall built to organize the district’s supply. Even today, it preserves that spirit of a Parisian market hall, with covered passages where you move between food shops and everyday essentials.

What makes up a generous basket: fruits, vegetables, cheeses, fish, meats, poultry, pantry staples, delicacies, flowers, breads, caterers and other gourmet specialties depending on the merchants present. Outside, the Aligre Market shifts to a different pace, livelier and more bustling, with open-air stalls and that famous flea market that makes you want to browse as much as shop.

• To be read
• The best food shops and local stores in Paris, our top picks
• The urban gardens and farms of Paris and Île-de-France, with workshops and citywide activities
• Pick-your-own spots in Île-de-France where you can harvest your own fruit, vegetables, and flowers

One of the place’s quirks: you can head out with vegetables for soup, a piece of cheese for lunch... and a thrifted treasure you didn’t really need. And it’s this double energy that makes it so appealing: you can come here to do your grocery shopping, put together an improvised lunch, plan a picnic, hunt for finds, or simply wander through one of the most endearing markets in Paris.

On the practical side, the Beauvau–Aligre Market is open Tuesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The most iconic Paris food markets to stock up on tasty finds
How about stocking up on fresh produce at the market? Discover Paris’s most iconic food markets: the covered markets, the organic markets, and the most original open-air markets! [Read more]